MBBS, BDS interns in J&K launch indefinite strike seeking stipend hike

The demand for higher stipends has brought MBBS and BDS interns across Jammu and Kashmir into an indefinite strike, with protesters seeking a monthly payment of ₹30,000 instead of the existing ₹12,300.

The interns held dharnas in Jammu, saying the stipend has remained unchanged for nearly seven years despite repeated requests and protests. They said their payment has failed to keep pace with inflation and remains considerably lower than stipends offered to interns in several other states.

Dr Shahnawaz, one of the protesting interns, said the amount paid to J-K interns is significantly lower despite similar responsibilities across medical colleges.

“Our stipend has remained at around ₹12,300 for seven years. In several other states, interns are getting between ₹25,000 and ₹45,000. We are performing the same duties, including 24-hour and night shifts and rural postings, but are being paid only around ₹400 a day,” he said.

The interns said they are seeking ₹30,000 a month, arguing that the revised amount would better reflect their workload and rising living expenses.

“We are demanding that our stipend be increased to ₹30,000,” he said.

Interns said their responsibilities include attending to patients in emergency departments, assisting doctors in outpatient departments and wards, supporting procedures and working in other clinical areas. Their postings also include night duties and rural assignments.

“Despite performing regular duties and handling a substantial workload, we continue to receive only ₹12,300 a month. This is unjust,” an intern said.

The protesters have also raised concerns over the delay in implementing a proposed stipend revision. Dr Abhinav Bhat said a committee constituted by the Health and Medical Education Department in 2023 had recommended increasing the stipend to around ₹25,000 for 2025-26.

“We have launched an indefinite strike and are on dharna in support of our demand to enhance our stipend to ₹30,000. A written assurance should come from the government,” Dr Abhinav Bhat, another protester, told reporters here.

Bhat said the issue was later discussed during the 2026 Assembly session, when the proposed stipend was stated to be around ₹26,300. However, he said the proposal has not yet been implemented.

“Subsequently, the issue was raised in the 2026 Assembly session and the proposed stipend was mentioned as around ₹26,300. But despite this, the file is still pending,” he said.

The interns alleged that they have not received a definitive update on the proposal and have instead been referred from one department to another.

“Sometimes we are told the file has been forwarded to the chief minister, while at other times we are told it is with the Finance Department. We are being made to run from one office to another,” he said.

Bhat said the interns would continue their protest until the government issues a formal order on the stipend revision.

“We are on an indefinite strike and will continue until our demand is fulfilled. We want a written order, not merely an assurance,” he said.

To highlight the disparity, the interns displayed comparative figures for stipends paid in different states. Odisha has the highest amount on their chart at ₹44,319 per month, followed by West Bengal at ₹43,099 and Assam at ₹35,000.

Karnataka pays ₹30,000, while Kerala provides ₹27,300. Delhi and Meghalaya offer ₹26,300 each, while the stipend in Telangana is listed at ₹25,900.

Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh provide ₹25,000 each, while Tamil Nadu is listed at around ₹25,000. Haryana pays ₹24,310 and Andhra Pradesh around ₹21,840, according to the figures presented by the protesters.

Gujarat, Bihar, Goa and Himachal Pradesh are listed at around ₹20,000, while Puducherry provides ₹18,000 a month.

The interns said J-K’s ₹12,300 monthly stipend is the lowest in their comparison. They argued that the difference is difficult to justify because interns across the country undertake broadly similar clinical responsibilities.

They also pointed to the delay in implementing the proposed revision in J-K, despite the recommendation made by the committee in 2023 and the subsequent discussion during the Assembly session.

The interns said they are responsible for duties across emergency departments, OPDs, wards and other clinical units, while also undertaking night shifts and rural postings as part of their internship.

“Same work, same dedication and fair stipend” is written on their protest banners. The interns said the indefinite strike will continue until their demand for a ₹30,000 monthly stipend is accepted and formally notified by the government.